Sparry Selects: Inky Indigo

With Labor Day only a few weeks away (aka the unofficial end of Summer), its time we look forward and prepare for what is to come for the Fall. Denim has long been a style staple in the fashion world and during the warmer seasons, we saw a strengthened jeans regime with fantastically light and washed out pieces perfect for the heat, distressed in just the right way, a knick here and a cut there. And where this trend held sway for the Spring and Summer, so will the resurgence of incredibly inked out pieces be in the Fall and Winter. Everything from authentic Japanese selvedge denim to dip-dyed garments that you dare not put in the wash with anything else (cue the Smurfs pic), there will be an abundance of our favorite shade of blue! The rugged nature as well as the pairability of indigo makes it the perfect cold-weather hue and adds some variety to the otherwise drab and tired neutrals that usually make a scene for the next 6 months.

The Vacay Shirt

J. Crew: $128

For that last minute vacation or if you're just looking to make the most of the last few days of summer, this is the shirt to do it!

The Street Kicks

Vans x C2H4 x Pros by CH: $315

Quite the collaboration list, but the end result are sneakers that are unique and gawk-worthy. Streetwear photogs, be on alert.

The Selvedge

RRL: $340

The iconic dungarees that made the west, reinvented with a slim fit. These are the kind of jeans you wash by hand a few times a year (thats it).

Close to the Chest

The Hill-side: $24

This polka dotted pocket square will help to break up all the stuffy solids and plaids, yet still play nicely with them.

The Bomber

John Varvatos: $449

The bomber revolution is in full swing, so this transition piece is a must have for your fall wardrobe. Be sure to beat it up and give it some real authenticity.

The Go-To Scarf

Woolrich: $48

A lightweight scarf will help to fend off a casual fall breeze and add to your cold weather armory come the Holidays.

The Classic Western

YSL: $590

This western shirt is a indigo staple, and will pair fantastically with a pair of matching jeans for a Denim Dan look we can get behind.

The Office Blues

Todd Snyder: $95

This may look like a plaid navy tie, but with a herringbone weave and 100% wool construction, its practically a scarf and an undeniable classic.

The Sweater

45rpm: $256

Its texture adds interest, its color makes it work with just about everything, and its 100% cotton fabric makes it perfect for the fall transition. Any negatives?

Here are some of the coolest pieces out in the inky shade, some for now and some for later. Which ones are your favorite?

Tech Time: DuoSkin

One of the latest trends in skin art has been the application of metallics to create beautiful patterns and details on various parts of the body. This is more of a women's trend, obviously, but with the fashion world the way it is now, all is all, and this is one of the easier barriers to acceptably break; if Jaden Smith can rock a dress, you can have a shiny skin tat. The MIT Media Lab and Microsoft Research teamed up to explore the possibilities of this emerging topic to come up with DuoSkin, utilizing the conductive properties of the gold leaf to create functional circuits on the wearer's skin. Imagine being able to control any of your devices with the touch of your wrist, be able to display information like body temperature, or even create an NFC device that can be programmed with your smart device. This is just a temporary medium for tech interfacing, but I'll remind you, permanent tattoo ink is metallic based; maybe there could be a future in the use of your ink beyond its aesthetic appearance.

What do you guys think? Would you try this out? Sound off below!

Tech Time: Instagram Stories

Just this week, Instagram decided to introduce some functionality to an already widely used app that may give snapchat a run for its money. At the top of your feed, when the app first opens, you will notice an area for you to post snippets of your day and upload them to part of your Instagram story as well as view the stories of the users you are following. As a menswear and lifestyle blogger, I use Instagram and Snapchat multiple times every day, whether its to post my pic of the day or to keep my followers in tune with what is going on in Sparry's world. From a business standpoint, Facebook owns Instagram and Snapchat is still its own entity; could this be a push to ebb out one of the leading social competitors? Let me know what you think of Instagram stories. Do you use it? How do you like it versus Snapchat? Do you think this could take Snapchat's place in your social presence? Sound off below!